Zim
transitional justice report launched in London

A new report on Transitional Justice in Zimbabwe was launched
in London on Monday, focusing on the expectations of the
Diaspora.

The report is the first since a Diaspora Outreach programme was
launched in 2010 by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, which has been
spearheading initiatives to garner public opinion on transitional justice
options.

Since 2003 the Forum has been conducting a serious of meetings
at grassroots level and has published two reports on taking transitional
justice to the people.

These consultations were then broadened in
2010 to include Diaspora communities across the world.

The Diaspora
Outreach workshops have been aimed at getting the opinions of victims of
human rights abuses at the hands of the Robert Mugabe regime, who fled to
places like the UK. The meetings allowed people to state how they want
justice to be served on the many perpetrators who have never been punished
for their abuses.

The Forum has said that such meetings are particularly
critical now, because the process of a writing a new constitution is still
underway. The group said the new report “presents new opportunities to build
on the (previous) consultations as the nation struggles for justice,
accountability and healing.”

Zim justice
delivery system corrupt — Chinamasa

ZIMBABWE’S justice delivery system is
riddled with a complicated corruption network that involves prison officers,
the police, lawyers and court officials.

Justice and Legal Affairs
Minister Patrick Chinamasa said he had several reports on his table showing
that the corruption starts from corrupt prison officers who work in cohorts
with legal practitioners.He was speaking on Friday while handing over prison
garb worth US$10 000 donated by the Law Society of Zimbabwe to the
ministry.

Minister Chinamasa said the reports indicated that prison
officers were reportedly advising prisoners to engage the services of
lawyers whom they knew had corrupt links to win cases.“In the fight
against corruption, we have been leaving out the prison officers and lawyers
in private practice,” he said. “But I was surprised to learn that some
prison officers were busy advising suspects to engage services of known
corrupt lawyers who knew which corrupt police officers and corrupt court
officials to deal with.”

Minister Chinamasa lashed out at prison officers
and lawyers for fuelling the corruption in the justice delivery
system.“In fact, corruption starts from the prison,” he said. “I also
received reports that some

senior lawyers were also advising their
clients how to corrupt the system to get favourable outcomes.”He
lamented the decline in the quality of legal services offered by most
lawyers, urging the LSZ to quickly embark on its planned comprehensive
skills training programmes.

Minister Chinamasa urged the stakeholders
in the justice delivery system, including the accused persons, to shun
corruption and collectively work towards weeding it out.

MDC-T
to expel its Mayor for Marondera

MDC-T chiefs are ready to kick out the shamed Marondera Mayor, Farai
Nyandoro, within the next few days, a party source said on
Monday.

Nyandoro, who won the mayoral race on an MDC-T ticket, is paying
the price for inciting violence against party members who included the
provincial chairman for Mashonaland East, Piniel Denga.

Following the
violence last month, police arrested Nyandoro and charged him with inciting
and engaging in public violence at an MDC-T rally held at Twoboy business
centre in the town.

A highly placed source told SW Radio Africa that
Nyandoro and seven other activists will get letters of expulsion from the
party this week.

‘They will get their letters either tomorrow (Tuesday)
or Wednesday. As a mayor representing the MDC-T Nyandoro was judged to have
broken a rule which bans bringing the party into disrepute by behaviour that
is prejudicial or grossly detrimental to the party,’ our source
said.

Nyandoro has also been on suspension from the party for allegedly
being too close to ZANU PF leaders in the province and also for alleged
corruption and abuse of office. Activists in Marondera had become very
uncomfortable with his close relationship with the ZANU PF governor, Aeneas
Chigwedere.

‘He was a regular visitor to the governor’s residence and
this did not go down well with party activists. There is also the issue with
the council vehicle he’s using as there are reports that they were some
irregularities in the way it was purchased,’ the source
added.

Despite facing corruption charges, Nyandoro has however received
backing from the ZANU PF Local Government Minister, Ignatius
Chombo.

Chombo explained that Nyandoro would not be forced to leave
office as he did not violate the Urban Councils Act. The MDC-T argues that
he flouted tender procurement procedures.

Madhuku
to quit NCA for political office

CONSTITUTIONAL law expert and leader of the National
Constitutional Assembly (NCA), Lovemore Madhuku, has said he will soon
relinquish his post at the constitutional lobby group and venture into
active party politics.

“It’s a difficult thing to do, but as soon as we
get the referendum, I won’t be there,” said Madhuku while addressing
participants at a public meeting organised by think-tank Sapes Trust in
Harare on Thursday night.

“After the referendum, I don’t want to be
there, I have been there for too long. If we lose the referendum, I will not
be there and I would want to join politics after that,” Madhuku
said.

Madhuku, a close ally of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and
staunch critic of President Robert Mugabe, has been chairperson of the NCA
since 2001 after taking over from the MDC-T leader.

Though he did not
divulge his next port of call politically, observers said Madhuku was likely
to join the MDC-T due to his closeness to Tsvangirai.

Madhuku last year
presided over the MDC-T’s elective congress in Bulawayo and attended the
party’s 12th anniversary clad in party colours.

When pressed for
clarification, Madhuku said: “It doesn’t mean I will join any political
party.

Politics is not about joining any party, but what is certain is I
will join politics and I can’t say now which party I will be joining. By
that time, a lot of these guys would have left politics.”

Madhuku
also said debate on a possible successor for Tsvangirai should be deferred
until after the party succeeded in dislodging President Robert Mugabe from
office.

“Succession in the MDC-T is not necessary, the party is still in
opposition and they know it and have been telling us that they are not
governing.

“It will be difficult for us to have support to take Mugabe
out of power, Tsvangirai still has that. They are also ambitious people in
MDC-T. There is a mentality in politics that to replace Mugabe is how
polished you are and how well you can argue and anyone who talks well, but
it’s the popular factor that counts. That’s what I want the Western
colleagues to know,” he said.

“The debate in the MDC is about the
post-Tsvangirai era, it’s quite bad the extent of the debate. There was a
clear line that Tsvangirai would be away by 2016, but he has given no
indication that he will leave the party. It’s difficult that Tsvangirai can
go before Mugabe.”

Civil
Organisations Blast Sata

Civil organisations and ordinary Zimbabweans in
Matabeleland have castigated Zambian leader, Michael Sata for openly showing
support to Zanu (PF) during the official opening of the Zimbabwe
International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo last
week.30.04.1211:37amby Zwanai Sithole Harare

Sata, who was
the guest of honour at the 53rd edition of the international showcase
shocked invited dignitaries when he raised his fist in Zanu (PF) style and
started chanting "Pamberi neJongwe" (Forward with the cock).

Effie Ncube,
the chairperson of the Matabeleland Constitutional Reform Agenda (MACRA)
said Sata's behaviour clearly shows that some Sadc leaders are not suitable
to be mediators of the country's political impasse which has resulted in the
formation of the inclusive government.

"Sata has shown the world that he
is a supporter of Zanu (PF) and cannot be fair and objective when dealing
with the Zimbabwe crisis in his capacity as Sadc leader. Besides that, Sata
should know the difference between a state function and a party function.
The ZITF had nothing to do with Zanu (PF)" said Ncube.

Ncube said
inclusive government partners who were present at the function were supposed
to have walked out of the ZITF main arena, the venue of the ceremony soon
after Sata's utterances.

"I expected representives of the two MDC
formations and other invited guest with no links to Zanu (PF) to leave their
seats and go away in protest of the political abuse by Sata. As a Sadc
leader who is involved in solving our political problems here, Sata should
have showed the spirit of inclusivity," said Ncube.

Some of the MDC
's officials who attended the ceremony included Deputy Prime Minister
Thokozani Khupe, MDC-T national chairman and speaker of the House of
Assembly, lovemore Moyo and the host minister, Welshman Ncube who is also
the MDC president.

The Secretary of a local pressure group,
Ibhetshulikazulu, Fuzayo Mbuso said Sata's political shenanigas at the ZITF
were well planned and meant to create the impression that Sadc is fully
behind President Robert Mugabe. Sata has previously accused Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai as a puppet of the West.

"I think the whole thing
was planned by Mugabe so as to thwart reports of his waning support among
Sadc leaders .Sata must have been fully briefed before coming to Bulawayo.
Unfortunately that was a wrong platform and the plot is likely to backfire.
The two MDC s will certainly raise this issue with the regional board," said
Mbuso.

The Bulawayo spokesperson of the Welshman Ncube led MDC, Edwin
Ndlovu said his party was shocked by Sata's blatant partisanship.

"We
wish to tell Sata that Zimbabwe is not Zanu (PF). Zimbabwe is being run by
three political parties and we are shocked that Sata as one of the Sadc
leaders is not aware of this. That was an extreme abuse of Zimbabwe's
hospitality," he said.

Earlier on, when disembarking from his charted
plane at the Joshua Nkomo International Airport, Sata also greeted with a
clenched fist scores of Zanu (PF) supporters who had been bussed from Umguza
in 26 Zupco buses and haulage trucks belonging to Obert Mpofu, the Member of
Parliament for the constituency.

School
heads face graft probe

THE
Ministry of Education will dispatch auditors to schools nationwide to
investigate the alleged abuse of funds by headmasters and School Development
Associations (SDA), a senior official has confirmed.

The official,
who requested anonymity, said all schools will be audited to bring out cases
which might not have been reported.

"Heads and SDAs who are involved in
misappropriation of school funds will be known through investigations by the
auditors," he said.

"This development comes after the ministry received
over 27 reports of cases of embezzlement in the past three months, an
indication that there might be more unreported cases."

The official
said the auditors would initially target institutions already reported to
the Ministry but insisted he exercise will cover all schools around the
country.

"Once this has been done and the culprits are found guilty,
punitive action will be taken," he said.

The development follows
numerous reports of clashes between parents and SDA members over control of
funds and the schools.

In some cases, teachers have gone on strike
protesting non-payment of incentives and mismanagement of school fees by
headmasters.

In November last year, a headmaster, bursar and former
treasurer of Tapfuma Primary School in Marondera appeared before the courts
on charges of defrauding pupils of more than US$29,000.

Several
headmasters from Gutu were also arrested for withdrawing money on several
occasions which could not be accounted for in the same year.

Will
Mugabe withstand rigours of campaigning at 88?

There are reports that for the first time
President Robert Mugabe toured the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in a
vehicle, due to his poor health and advanced age. This is news that must be
worrying to his ZANU PF party.

When not in a vehicle Mugabe moved around
with the support of Zambian President Michael Sata, who was holding his
hand.

While his party has endorsed him to stand in the next elections
political analysts say Mugabe will find it harder to convince voters to
extend his rule after 32 years in power.

Our Bulawayo correspondent
Lionel Saungweme, who saw Mugabe in the city last week, told us the ZANU PF
leader was looking increasingly frail and has now become a liability for the
party in the next election.

The age factor has dogged Mugabe mercilessly
since ZANU PF endorsed him as their presidential candidate. The next
election in the country is shaping up to be the most important since
independence, and one of the biggest points of debate so far has been the
issue of age.

If elections are to be held next year Mugabe will be 89
while his most formidable opponent, the MDC-T President Morgan Tsvangirai
will be turning 61 years old.

‘Mugabe’s best years are behind him.
The majority of voters, born after independence, will likely believe his age
is now a liability. I think the next poll will be a change election in
Zimbabwe, the country needs and wants to renew itself with a generational
shift.

‘The rigours of campaigning can severely test any man over the age
of 35. Mugabe is known to campaign vigorously, traversing the whole country,
which in itself is time consuming and energy draining activity. One wonders
if he still has the energy to embark on such an arduous campaign trail
against a young and energetic Tsvangirai,’ Saungweme said.

Mugabe has
been the subject of several health scares, with some reports suggesting he
has prostate cancer. However, Mugabe and close aides have kept his health a
closely guarded secret.

Many in his ZANU-PF party are afraid that should
Mugabe die in office without settling a bitter succession battle, the party
could erupt in internal conflict and destabilize the
country.

Although ZANU PF officials rally behind Mugabe in public, in
private many want him to retire and pass the baton to a younger person. But
so far he shows no intention of doing that.

Mbeki
shuns GPA questions during Zim visit

Former South African President Thabo Mbeki refused to answer
questions about the state of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) in
Zimbabwe, while on a visit to the country over the weekend.

Mbeki, as
the former mediator in Zimbabwe’s political crisis, was one of the key
architects of the GPA in 2008, which paved the way for the formation of the
coalition government between ZANU PF and the two MDC parties.

That unity
deal was supposed to put Zimbabwe on the path towards real democratic
change. More than three years later however the key reforms promised by ZANU
PF in the GPA are still outstanding.

But Mbeki would not be drawn into
talking about Zimbabwe’s fragile political situation over the weekend,
during his visit for a fundraising dinner. He instead told journalists: “I
am not here for that.”

Mbeki was in the country at the invitation of
Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara for a University of Zimbabwe
fundraiser. But he also had a private meeting with Robert Mugabe, where he
said he briefed the ageing ZANU PF leader on the situation in
Sudan.

He did not meet with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

The
former South African President has been strongly criticised over the years
for his ‘softly-softly’ handling of the Zimbabwe crisis, before the
mediation role was taken over by his successor Jacob Zuma. Mbeki’s policy of
‘quiet diplomacy’ has also been repeatedly slammed as a failure that allowed
the situation in Zimbabwe to deteriorate further.

Many critics and
observers have also blamed Mbeki for allowing Mugabe to cling to power for
so long, saying the GPA was drafted to give the ZANU PF leader a political
life-line in an election-losing situation.

Former Zimbabwean diplomat
Clifford Mashiri told SW Radio Africa on Monday that it was “unfair” of
Mbeki to avoid answering questions on a political situation that he allowed
to develop. He said Zimbabweans are owed an explanation and said it was
likely Mbeki is too “embarrassed” to talk about it.

“The GPA was his
baby and that baby is clearly not doing well. But it is unfortunate that he
did not make some statement, especially now when the crisis is so clear,”
Mashiri said.

Zuma meanwhile is also facing criticism in his role as the
Zimbabwe mediator, and has been accused of not treating the Zim political
crisis with more urgency. He has not met with the leaders in the coalition
government for months and despite insisting that no fresh elections will be
held until the conditions are right to do so, there is increasing worry that
ZANU PF will have its way with an early poll.

Mashiri said that Zuma
is also letting Zimbabweans down by not acting with urgency, despite the
worsening situation back home.

“We expected him weeks ago, especially
because there is so much talk of elections and incidents of violence. It
does not bode well for Zimbabwe,” Mashiri said.

Banks
target non-resident Zimbabweans

FINANCIAL services group Old Mutual Zimbabwe has appointed
an agent to help sell group products such as mortgages to Zimbabweans living
in the United Kingdom as well as help them invest back home.

In a
statement, Afro-Global Marketing UK said they had been appointed to
represent OM Zimbabwe, CABS and Stanbic Bank in a development expected to
help facilitate Diaspora access to financial instruments and other
investments back in Zimbabwe.

“Zimbabweans in the UK will play a key
role in rebuilding Zimbabwe and investing back home is only the first step,”
said Shane Manjelo, the managing director of Afro-Global
Marketing.

“Zimbabweans in the UK for years have played a major role in
Zimbabwe’s financial revival and Old Mutual Zimbabwe’s partnership with
Afro-Global Marketing UK demonstrates recognition of the importance of
capital investment from the Diaspora.”

Head of Unit Trusts at Old
Mutual Group Zimbabwe, Gilbert Gumpo, added: “We are looking forward to a
long and fruitful relationship with Zimbabweans in the UK and we are
absolutely delighted to partner with Afro-Global Marketing to enable
Zimbabweans in the UK to invest back in Zimbabwe.”

The development means
Zimbabweans in the UK will now be able access basic financial instruments
such as bank accounts, unit trust funds and mortgages without the
inconvenience of having to travel back home.

“All applications and
enquiries will be received and processed right here in the UK, removing the
need to travel back to Zimbabwe to access these services,” Manjelo
said.

Millions of Zimbabweans left the country to escape a biting
economic crisis over the last decade with remittances sent back to support
families left behind credited with helping keep the country from complete
economic collapse.

“There is only one material compensation for the
huge loss of skilled Zimbabweans to other countries; the absentee
Zimbabweans have, despite not being active in the country’s economy, become
a key mainstay of its sustenance,” economic commentator Eric Block wrote in
a local weekly

A recent survey suggested that non resident Zimbabweans
are sending back about US$850 million every year.However, Block said the
figure could be much higher.

“The inflows to Zimbabwe from Diasporans are
considerably greater than the survey suggests. In addition to the transfers
of funds, hundreds of millions of dollars worth of goods are also sent to
the families at home from relations abroad,” he said.

“Thus, the
total economic contribution that Zimbabwe enjoys from its nationals abroad
considerably exceeded US$1 billion per annum; comparable to, or greater than
the substantial earnings of Zimbabwe’s mining sector.

“These inflows are
not incorporated in the determination of Zimbabwe’s Gross Domestic Product,
which is the barometer for measurement of economic growth or contraction,
and therefore real economic recovery is somewhat greater than statistically
determined.“Indisputably, Zimbabweans abroad constitute one of the mainstays
of the economy …”

May
Day: Nothing in it for workers

Written by Kaleen Gombera and Ngonidzashe
MushimboMonday, 30 April 2012 17:22

HARARE - There is no tangible
improvement in workers’ conditions as the country celebrates Workers Day
tomorrow with the majority of them still earning salaries way below the
poverty datum line.

This year’s celebrations which are characterised by
factionalism that has rocked the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU)
will be held at two separate venues under two different themes.

May
Day comes at a time when the majority of the workers are living way below
the poverty datumline.

Civil servants have on many occasions clashed with
government demanding better working conditions.

Scenes of angry
workers teaming up with their union leaders protesting against poor working
conditions are a common sight in the country.

In an interview with the
Daily News yesterday, Raymond Majongwe who is secretary-general of the ZCTU
faction led by Lovemore Matombo, said government had failed to solve the
plight of workers.

“The GNU has failed to address the plight of the
workers and it has perpetuated the suffering of Zimbabwean workers. There is
nothing much to celebrate on this day be it in the formal or informal sector
as workers are being exploited especially by the Chinese,” said
Majongwe.

He also took the opportunity to dismiss rumours that his
faction is no longer relevant as it had failed to champion workers’
rights.

Their faction recently suffered a blow after Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai threw his weight behind the George Nkiwane-led
faction.

Tsvangirai who had been invited to the May Day commemorations by
both factions will attend the Nkiwane led ZCTU commemorations at Gwanzura
Stadium.

Majongwe said: “We are here because people want us to be
here. We will soldier on and continue fighting for the good cause of the
workers although the Prime Minister decided to behave like Sadc by siding
with an electoral fraud faction. It is quite sad that the PM decided to go
to the other group.”

Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) chief
executive Sifiso Ndlovu said empowerment of workers can go a long in
reviving the country’s struggling economy.

“We are saying no to the
misery of workers but happiness always if we are going to help the revival
of the country’s economy. Empowerment of workers and good salaries work to
our country’s advantage,” Ndlovu said.

Chairperson of the Crisis
Coalition in Zimbabwe Okay Machisa, told the Daily News that workers should
be uplifted. He challenged government to address the workers’
plight.

“Workers should be uplifted over the poverty datum line. Issues
of workers’ salaries should be addressed at national level not only at
industrial level to improve the social welfare of the workers in our
country. People should celebrate and commemorate the rights of workers
although we are facing challenges,” Machisa said.

Last week, Zimbabwe
Federation of Trade Union president, Jacob Gwavava said despite divisions in
the labour movement, organisations must unite towards championing the
concerns of workers, mainly the issue of poor salaries.

Moyo
escalates attack on Copac

HARARE - Zanu PF politburo
member and serial political flip-flopper Jonathan Moyo has escalated his
attacks on the Constitution Select Committee (Copac) — calling them “a
fraud” as the succession battle in the former ruling party
escalates.

Moyo’s rabid attacks have surfaced despite the fact that the
Zanu PF principal in government President Robert Mugabe has “virtually
endorsed” the process — save for complaining about the lack of urgency in
concluding the draft.

Zanu PF officials have been trying to use Copac
to settle the party’s intense battle to succeed the 88-year-old
Mugabe.

In his continued attacks on the constitution-making process and
where he has even labelled it a mafia outfit, the former Information
minister suggests some political actors are using the tripartite arrangement
or forum to create another coalition government.

“There’s a
difference of day and night between negotiating to share political power
among political parties and to make a new constitution for the whole country
and for posterity.

While the GPA was okay for forming a coalition
government, it is definitely not okay for making a constitution,” Moyo wrote
this week.

The Tsholotsho North legislator has been at the fore front
leading a group of Zanu PF politicians that are agitating to slow down the
constitution making process by continuously attacking it.

However,
Moyo seems alone and a few hardliners in demonising Copac because his party
is behind Mugabe’s sentiments that the constitution must be finished
quickly.

Zanu PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa said on
Friday it was deviant for party members to oppose Mugabe in wanting the
process completed quickly.

“The party’s official position is
expressed by the leader of the party, President Robert Gabriel Mugabe. What
he says goes; he is the chief spokesperson of Zanu PF,” Mutasa
said.

Moyo also accused Copac of being used by the UNDP in its “regime
change” agenda.

“It is very mischievous and objectionable in the
extreme that the UNDP and its regime-change-seeking donors along with their
international and local partners have through the Copac mafia deceitfully
and fraudulently transformed what was supposed to be a people-driven
constitution-making process in terms of the GPA into an unacceptable and
treacherous “GPA 2” negotiation for the control and exercise of political
power beyond the Inclusive Government by the three ruling GPA parties who
currently make up Parliament,” he said.

Moyo said the completed draft
constitution addressed the outstanding GPA issues “all of which reflect the
foreign advice given to Copac by South Africa’s Hassen Ebrahim under the
treacherous auspices of the UNDP to the detriment of our national security
and existence.”

“...Copac has indeed employed a UNDP-driven
constitution-making exercise authored by Hassen Ebrahim whose purpose has
been to drive out and sabotage the people’s views from the making of their
own constitution,” Moyo added.

In insisting that the constitution be
“people driven”, the former Information minister who is well-known for his
serial flip-flopping seems to have backtracked on his January 29, 1998
proclamation that “a few people sitting under a tree” could not meaningfully
assist to the drafting of a new supreme law of the land, referring to the
National Constitutional Assembly.

“Moyo
is lying as usual. The views that are in the constitution are the views of
the people of Zimbabwe. Everyone who was involved in the process knows how
we came to have those views and how we refined them,” Mwonzora
said.

“Moyo is a cheap politician looking for cheap publicity and
cheap relevance. The people of Zimbabwe must be given a chance to read the
document for themselves. In due course, we will publish the document and we
are going to do this in time with the second all-stakeholders
conference.

“Unfortunately, people like Moyo want to think for the people
of Zimbabwe. The people of Zimbabwe are intelligent and they can think for
themselves which is why we will publish the document so they see it for
themselves,” Mwonzora added.

Last week, Moyo’s fellow Zanu PF
colleague and Copac co-chairperson Paul Mangwana expressed his anger against
the Tsholotsho MP by saying he was “crazy” and “sent by the
devil”.

“We are not going to be commenting on him (Moyo) because it is
the work of the devil; they are messengers of the evil as he wanted to
distract our work as Copac. We are glad that we have finished it. We did not
respond to Moyo because he did not deserve the dignity of our response on
what he was talking about on the draft. It did not make any sense at all,"
Mangwana said.

The Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation is exploring ways of investing in waste disposal in Zimbabwe
through converting raw sewer and garbage into energy.

Harare Mayor
Muchadeyi Masunda is quoted in the Daily News as saying the foundation has
already engaged a team of consultants to look into the city’s solid waste
with a view of installing facilities to convert it into power.

Masunda
told the newspaper the project will go a long way in creating employment and
reducing environmental degradation through the elimination of industrial and
domestic pollution.

The Gates Foundation already sponsors a $5 million
housing scheme for low-income earners in Harare’s Dzivarasekwa high density
suburb.

The project was initially targeted at 500 Mbare residents but was
moved to Dzivarasekwa high density suburb after Chipangano – a militant
group believed to be linked to President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF – blocked
it claiming it was being spearheaded by the Movement for Democratic
Change.

Energy Minister Elton Mangoma said this project will boost power
supplies in the city.

Top
Financial Advisor Bashes Investment Conferences

Harare, April 30,
2012 - One of Zimbabwe's top financial advisors, Sean Gammon, Managing
Director of Imara Africa Securities Limited (Imara) says business executives
must do more work instead of simply attending investment conferences which
in most times become "talk shops".

In an exclusive interview in Harare at
a recent investment conference, Gammon said: "We must do some work instead
of coming to talk shops," he said.

"I have not gone to some
investment conferences such as India with the Vice President (Joice Mujuru)
simply because firstly I was not invited but mostly because they have become
talk shops."

He said for the country to move forward it should tighten
its budgeting system and also repay outstanding loans to major international
creditors including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World
Bank.

The Minister of Finance, Tendai Biti has already confirmed that
Zimbabwe is US$8 billion in the red and is struggling to repay the
creditors.

"There is no cash in Zimbabwe," Gammon said.

"The tight
budgeting needs to be adhered to strictly. There are major contradictions
with indigenisation and the use of multi-currencies in Zimbabwe right now
which makes business expensive.

Zimbabwe is using the South African Rand,
the United States dollar as well as the Botswana Pula and the British Pound
Sterling after having dumped it worthless Zimbabwe Bearer Cheques in
2009.

That currency had led to hyperinflation of more than 231 million
percent under Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor, Dr Gideon
Gono.

"We must also try to attract international investors and not locals
as is the case in many cases right now," gammon said.

"It is the
international investors that we want in Zimbabwe and whom we are targeting
at the moment.

"We also need to develop our own strategies and not really
worry about what the West is doing such as the suggested Quantitative
Systems which are being used."

Imara Africa Securities Limited is
among Zimbabwe's top investment firms which tries to woo investment to the
cash-strapped nation.

Investing
in young girls is smart economics

Economy - Eighteen-year-old
Rangariroyashe Chipika is no ordinary young woman as she not only came out
top of her Advanced Level class in the 2011 Cambridge Examinations but was
also best student in her school. She had As in all her science subjects --
Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics and Thinking Skills.

The
long wait for Advanced Level examination results is always met with great
trepidation and anxiety moreso by young women like Rangariroyashe who choose
to venture into highly demanding subjects traditionally perceived to be the
preserve for boys.

In describing how she managed to accomplish this feat,
Rangariroyashe -- who hopes to pursue a career in medicine -- alludes to
staying focused, prayer and most importantly a strong support base in the
form of her family.

Rangariroyashe's achievements are an embodiment of
"girls can do it" and celebrating such a feat goes a long way in inspiring
countless other girls at a stage in their lives where they have to define
their destiny.

Exceptional young girls disprove long-standing stereotypes
that say for instance that boys are better at sciences than
girls.

With the right kind of support, girls are going out there and
grabbing their own destinies and those of their communities.

Young
girls today face many pressures that could potentially scuttle their
progress and success in this fast paced life.

In the most ordinary of
circumstances, young girls in disadvantaged situations are worse off having
to balance their domestic roles particularly in these trying times in
Zimbabwe.

Women and girls are less likely to attend school than their
male counterparts and often find themselves burdened with economic and
domestic duties that rob them of childhood education.

It is the young
girls and indeed the women-folk that some sections of society would rather
sacrifice as they are made to spend long hours fetching water, caring for
the sick, marrying at a tender age to supplement family income, peddling at
the market and the like at the expense of going to school.

In current
circumstances, the power of constant positive encouragement for a lot of
young girls with promising potential cannot be underestimated, and society's
role in safeguarding their future cannot be over-emphasised.

Young women
need access to the right mentors and supportive social networks in order for
them to thrive.

The Girl Effect Data (GED) generated by Nike Foundation
suggests that investing in young girls can prevent poverty before it
starts.

According to GED, one in seven girls in developing countries
marries before age 15 and 70 percent of the world's 130 million
out-of-school youth are girls.

A working paper released by the World
Bank in 2011 estimates how powerful young girls can be in today's global
society.

For example, the paper identifies that in Kenya, if all 1,6
million adolescent girls were to complete secondary school, the cumulative
effect could add US$3,4 billion to that country's gross income
annually.

Over the past century, there has been a transformation in
women's educational achievements and general participation in public
life.

Globally, more girls are going to school. But despite these
tremendous wins, inequality can still be seen in persistent unequal
opportunities, low representation of women in public office leadership and
continuing violence in all forms against women.

Where women suffer
the most inequities in accessing good education and productive assets, this
deprives not only them but also the world of the realisation of their full
potential.

Yet it is clear that when women are empowered, family welfare
improves, more children go to school and incomes increase.

Investing
in young girls is a strategic approach to achieving Millennium Development
Goal No. 3, which seeks to "promote gender equality and women
empowerment".

Girls are unique change agents. Igniting their
potential and transforming their world starts a ripple effect for
themselves, their families and their communities. Investing in girls is
smart economics and a sure-fire way of effectuating sustainable
development.

President Tsvangirai calls for peace and
respect

President Tsvangirai has urged Zimbabweans to live in peace and
harmony and in an environment where the people’s rights and basic freedoms
of assembly, movement and association are respected.

Addressing
thousands of people at a peace prayer at Mkoba Stadium in Gweru on Saturday,
President Tsvangirai said it is obligatory for every Zimbabwean to ensure
that Zimbabwe is a peaceful nation.

He said on 11 November 2011, the
three principals met in Harare and pledged to hold peace prayer meetings
across the country.

The prayers are aimed at enhancing peace, prosperity,
development and unity among the people of Zimbabwe and shun violence at
every level.

“We need a new era in this country and to desist from
violence, hatred. We should not walk the talk of ‘An eye for an eye”. Use of
politically motivated violence should be a thing of the past,” said
President Tsvangirai.

Quoting Matthew 22 verse 34, he said “First
love your God with all your heart and secondly your neighbour as you love
yourself.

“We need to live in harmony and extend a hand to each other
especially those who hurt us, despite political differences.

“We must
all understand that peace is imperative for investment, economic growth and
development in this country,” said President Tsvangirai, adding that it is
an obligation to each and every Zimbabwean to call for a peaceful nation as
blessed are the peace makers.

Several senior government and MDC officials
accompanied President Tsvangirai.

Music was provided by Baba na Mai
Charamba, Blessing Shumba, Fungisai Mashavave and other musicians from
various churches.

Although the idea of peace prayers was agreed upon by
the three principals namely, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, President
Mugabe and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, only Prime Minister
Tsvangirai honoured the invitation.

Coming
home

“Home” can be defined as a verb. Homing is a
return by instinct to one’s territory after leaving it. Zimbabwe is
decidedly my home. Even after 11 years of living in bustling Johannesburg,
returning is like visiting an old friend. Nostalgic and comfortable, but
deeply saddening to see how this friend has aged cruelly, failed to reach
her potential and is now trapped in a stubborn space where it seems no
change can occur.

It takes a mere nine hours to cross into this different
world. A world that lies beyond Beit Bridge. As I crossed the border
into Zimbabwe a familiar feeling came over me. The stress of Johannesburg
is left behind as I head homeward. The terrain is sparse, the roads are
rough and the pedestrians are strangely friendly. It’s a lovely feeling of
familiarity.

Zimbabwe. Contrary to popular belief, there is no one
starving to death in the streets or burning down buildings in acts of
political warfare. Yet I know that behind closed doors suffering,
deprivation and poverty take their toll. It’s peaceful, in a weird way.
Everything has changed and nothing has changed over the past 11 years.
The city is dirty and busy. The suburbs are lined with yellow grass and
walls in desperate need of a paint job. “VOTE MDC” graffiti has faded into
obscurity – a little like the fighting spirit that I felt at the beginning
of the decade. Yet, there is a beauty about home that is difficult to
describe. Maybe it lies in the people?

Zimbabweans, a curious
mixture of apathy and deep rooted hope. A holding on to the concept of
change but seeing no way to make it happen. The youth cannot wait to leave.
The older generation cannot leave. Yet there is something wonderful about
these people. Desperately trying to sustain shreds of normalcy. They
socialise, go to work, take their kids to creamy-inn, watch sport, go to
school and (those who have them) switch on their generators. Another day
in paradise. A paradise they will complain bitterly about, but fight for
with everything they have.

I will always cherish my childhood in this
country. The decay of this country is outshone by my deep love for it. The
people are a part of how I grew up. The land is a canvas on which the person
I am today was painted upon. For this, I am eternally
grateful.

This entry was posted by Sokwanele on Monday, April 30th, 2012
at 8:55 am

Bill Watch 17/2012 of 29th April [Parliament in Recess during April - Update on Bills Waiting]

BILL WATCH 17/2012

[29th April 2012]

Both Houses of Parliament are adjourned until Tuesday 15th
May

Meetings of Portfolio and Thematic Committees are suspended until 7th
May

Note: The parliamentary committee that met last week was not a
regular committee, but an ad hoc Committee on Privileges specially appointed to
consider a contempt of Parliament charge [see Bill Watch – Parliamentary
Committees Series of 23rd April]

Mining
Industry “Nationalisation”: Public Notice of 5th April NOT
Gazetted

The
extraordinary “public notice” published in the press on 5th April by the
Minister of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment has not
been gazetted.A notice has no claim to
legal standing unless gazetted.Even if
the notice had been gazetted it would have been surprising if it got past the
Parliamentary Legal Committee as it has been generally condemned as legally
unsound not only by the Prime Minister but also by legal commentators.[See
Bill Watch 16/2012 of 5th April for comment on the notice]

Update on
Acts

All eleven Bills
passed by Parliament during 2011 have been gazetted as Acts [for list see Bill Watch 13/2012 of 27th
March].Two of these Acts are still
not in force: the Attorney-General’s OfficeAct [4/2011] and the
Small Enterprises Development Corporation Act [6/2011]; each of them requires
the President to fix a date of commencement by statutory instrument.Parliament has not passed any Bills since the beginning of this
year, so gazetting of Acts of 2012 has not yet started.

Update on Bills in
Parliament

House
of Assembly

Awaiting
start of Committee Stage

·Zimbabwe
Human Rights Commission BillThis Bill had its Second Reading on 27th
March after full debate.The Minister of
Justice and Legal Affairs, who is the responsible Minister, has tabled
amendments he intends to propose for adoption during the Committee Stage; these
include changes to meet objections from the Parliamentary Legal Committee [PLC]
[for details see Bill Watch 14/2012 of
28th March].

Undergoing
Second Reading debate

·Urban
Councils Amendment BillThis is a Private Member’s Bill introduced by
Hon Matimba of MDC-T.It seeks to make
major cuts in the powers given to the Minister of Local Government, Rural and
Urban Developmentby the Urban Councils
Act.Hon Matimba has made his
introductory speech and further debate is awaited, but progress on this Bill may
be delayed by a court application lodged last week by Minister of Local
Government, Rural and Urban Development Ignatius Chombo for an interdict
prohibiting Parliament from considering the Bill.Minister Chombo’s court application is based
on constitutional grounds and will be discussed in a separate Bill Watch.It remains to be seen how Justice Bere’s
recent ruling on the sub judice rule
will be interpreted by the Speaker in this case, and whether the Speaker will
stop debate on this Bill pending determination of the court application.[Correction of error:Bill Watch 15/2012 of 2nd April incorrectly
said this Bill was still awaiting House approval of its introduction.In fact it had already been introduced and
received a non-adverse report from the PLC, and the Second Reading stage had
started.Veritas apologises for the
error.]

Awaiting
start of Second Reading stage after non-adverse report from PLC

·Older
Persons BillThis is waiting for the introductory speech
from the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Paurina
Mpariwa.

·National
Incomes and Pricing Commission Amendment BillThis is waiting for the introductory
speech from the Minister of Industry and Commerce Welshman Ncube [summary in Bill Watch .

Awaiting
consideration of Adverse Report from PLC

·Electoral
Amendment BillThe PLC’s adverse report on this Bill,
announced by the Speaker on 27th March, means that the House cannot proceed to
the next stage [Second Reading] of the Bill until the House has first considered
the adverse report in committee and then in plenary session voted on a
resolution to adopt the adverse report which will be moved by a member of the
PLC.If the House adopts the adverse
report, any clause the House finds to be inconsistent with the Constitution will
then have to be dropped from the Bill or amended so as to remove the
inconsistency.[Note: Official text of adverse report not
yet available.]

The
House is part of the way through its debate on Mr Gonese’s motion requesting its
permission to introduce this Bill.Mr
Gonese has made his introductory speech and several MPs have contributed, both
for and against the motion.Debate has
been adjourned to give the responsible Minister – the Minister of Justice and
Legal Affairs – an opportunity to reply to points raised.The object of the Bill is to take away the
power of a prosecutor to stall for 7 days the release of an accused person on
bail while the Attorney-Generalconsiders
whether or not to appeal against the decision of the magistrate or judge who
granted bail.[For a discussion of State misuse of section
121(3) see Court Watch 8/2012 of 25th April]

Senate

POSA
Amendment BillThe Senate still has to complete debate on Mr
Gonese’s motion for his lapsed Private Member’s Bill to be restored to the
Senate Order Paper [it lapsed at the end of the previous Parliamentary Session
in September 2011].The Senate is
expecting a contribution to the debate from the Minister of Justice and Legal
Affairs, Senator Chinamasa, who was unavailable during recent Senate
sittings.Before the Bill lapsed last
year Senator Chinamasa, one of the GPA negotiators, had told the Senate the Bill
was inappropriate because it was the subject of discussion by the
negotiators.

Death
of Senator Mudzingwa

The
death on 10th April of MDC-T
Senator Tichaona Mudzingwa, Deputy Minister of Transport, Communications and
Infrastructure Development brings the number of vacant Senate seats to 14 out of
a total of 99.It does not, however, add
to the number of pending by-elections because Dr Mudzingwa was an appointed
Senator, nominated by MDC-T
in terms of Schedule 8 to the Constitution [GPA, Article 20.1.9].All that is required to fill the vacancy is
the nomination of a replacement by MDC-T,
followed by the nominee’s formal appointment by the President.

Government Gazettefrom 23rd
March to 27th April

ActsNo Acts were gazetted.Gazetting of 2011 Acts was complete by mid-March [see above.]No Bills for Acts of 2012 have been passed by
Parliament so far this year.

BillsNo Bills were gazetted – and
no Bills are currently being printed by the Government Printer.

Statutory Instruments [SI 65/2012 on immigration permits available from veritas@mango.zw]

Immigration permits – Ministerial intervention – SI 65/2012 of 20th April inserts a new section 37A into the Immigration Regulations [SI 195/1998] allowing
the Minister of Home Affairs, in any particular case, to direct the Chief
Immigration Officer to issue a residence, temporary employment, scholar’s or
alien’s permit to anyone in Zimbabwe, notwithstanding any other provision in SI
195/1998.

New cantonment under Defence ActSI 61/2012 declares the area
of the Army Boarding School in Kadoma district a cantonment for the purposes of
the Defence Act.Under the Act entry
into a cantonment is restricted to Defence Forces personnel and their families,
State employees on duty, and other persons authorised to enter by the officer in
command of the cantonment.

Customs regulationsSI 70/2012 grants a 2-year
suspension of duty to China-Zimbabwe Sunrise Mining (Pvt) Ltd in respect of a
specified mining location SG 4591.SI
69/2012 provides for a 2012 once-off duty rebate for certain items for the
National Railways of Zimbabwe.

Wild life – compensation for animals and fish unlawfully hunted,
caught or trappedWhere a person is convicted
of unlawful hunting or trapping of animals or catching of fish, the court must,
in addition to any fine or prison sentence, order the payment of compensation to
the appropriate authority for the land concerned [e.g. the Director of Parks and
Wild Life, the landowner or lessee, the State] according to tariffs fixed by the
Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Management.SIs 56 and 57/2012 set out new tariffs fixed
by the Minister in terms of the Parks and Wild Life Act and the Trapping of
Animals (Control) Act; the amounts, most of them fairly substantial, range from
$5 per kilogram of fish to $120 000 for a rhinoceros.

Collective bargaining agreements deal with 2012 wages for the agricultural industry kapenta sector [SI 32/2012] and
allowances for all agricultural industry sectors [33/2012]; 2012 wages for the energy industry [SI 50/2012]; 2012 wages and allowances for the soft drinks manufacturing industry
[SI 64/2012]; and full conditions of service for the transport operating
industry [SI 67/2012].

Government financial statementsThe Secretary for Finance
published four sets of statements as supplements to the Government Gazette of
27th April.They are for the quarter
ended 31st December 2011, and for the months of December 2011, January 2012 and February 2012.This gazetting is required by section 34 of
the Public Finance Management Act.

Veritas makes every effort to ensure reliable information, but cannot
take legal responsibility for information
supplied